Method for fabricating a micro-electro-mechanical fluid ejector

• Main Authors: GULVIN PETER M, EKLUND ELLIOTT A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.07.2002
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BLASTING; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS; DEAF-AID SETS; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; HEATING; i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; LIGHTING; LINING MACHINES; LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKEACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICALDEVICES; MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PRINTING; PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTUREOR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS; PUMPS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS; STAMPS; TRANSPORTING; TYPEWRITERS; WEAPONS

A method for fabricating a membrane having a corrugated, multi-layer structure, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having an insulator layer on the top surface of the substrate, a conductive layer on the insulator layer, a sacrificial layer on said conductive layer, and a second conductive layer; patterning a series of holes the second conductive layer to allow release etchant to have access to a second sacrificial layer; depositing the second sacrificial layer onto said second conductive layer so that the series of holes are filled with the second sacrificial layer; patterning the second sacrificial layer with a radial and/or concentric grid pattern so that a third conductive layer when deposited will form the support structure and top portion of the corrugated structure; depositing the third conductive layer so that the grid pattern is filled in and is in contact with the second conductive layer; removing the first and second sacrificial layer by immersing the device in a release etchant.